B3NN3TT
Hard-core CEG'er
Man, I would think that hammering on the crank would damage the main bearings and journals. Does it come out without much battering?
-
Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.
You can register to join the community.
How flush to cut pilot bushing
- Thread starter 95Mike
- Start date
Pope
Veteran CEG'er
stupid question since i do not remember:
Does the MTX75 lack a pilot surface on the input shaft?
It has been a few years since I had a Contour apart (or even owned one) but I know traditional RWD transmissions, the T5 for example, have a pilot surface at the front of input shaft that requires a pilot bushing in the crank. Is a pilot bushing simply not required with an MTX75?
Additionally, anyone happen to know the actual inside diameter of the pilot bushing?
Does the MTX75 lack a pilot surface on the input shaft?
It has been a few years since I had a Contour apart (or even owned one) but I know traditional RWD transmissions, the T5 for example, have a pilot surface at the front of input shaft that requires a pilot bushing in the crank. Is a pilot bushing simply not required with an MTX75?
Additionally, anyone happen to know the actual inside diameter of the pilot bushing?
Big Jim
Hard-core CEG'er
The MTX does not use a pilot bushing or pilot bearing.
I've always taken pilot bushings or bearings out with a slide hammer. I've never tried it on a 3.0 Duratec.
I've always taken pilot bushings or bearings out with a slide hammer. I've never tried it on a 3.0 Duratec.
Pope
Veteran CEG'er
thanks, I have been wondering about that for a few months but never asked.
Stylin55_oh
CEG'er
My bushing is steel. Everyone is stating there's are either brass or aluminum but mine is steel. It also appears to be press fit. Is tapping it and using a slide hammer still a good idea. I dont want to flush cut it incase there is an imbalance
Big Jim
Hard-core CEG'er
Since it is in the very center of the crank, it would take an awful lot of variance to cause in imbalance. A slightly crooked cut would have no effect. I still prefer using a slide hammer and removing it.
blu_fuz
New Member Classroom vulture
^^^^ I'm with him - Steel and all this fuss is making me think I did something wrong.... I will take a pic of what I have and you tell me if I did it wrong.
muntus
Veteran CEG'er
Mine was steel. I ground it flush with the crank and called it done. A couple years later, and no big woop. I do run a DMD.
blu_fuz
New Member Classroom vulture
I cut mine down to the crank and polished it off and will be running a DMD - what is the deal then with people freaking out about how far or just "how" to cut it....? :shrug:
Beans
Addicted CEG'er
Post a pic.
blu_fuz
New Member Classroom vulture
All I have is what I cut off for now:
Bradness
CEG'er
I cut mine off (it was steel) with a 1/16" thick cutting wheel in an angle grinder then replaced the cutting wheel with a grinding wheel and ground it flush. Barely touched the crank. I also wrapped a wet rag around the seal so the sparks and heat wouldn't ruin it. Plus I took my time and let it cool down before taking a bit more off. Sorry but no pix and the drivetrain is in the engine bay now. Just a matter of buttoning everything up and seeing if it runs.
I like to remove it. I use a cutoff wheel to make three deep notches around the bushing and use those notches as pulling locations for a small-medium sized gear puller. Spray a little PB blaster a few hours before you want to pull it. Once it cracks loose it comes out nice and smooth.
Worst case is if the puller does not work or if it somehow breaks the bushing before it is pulled you can always fall back on cutting it flush.
However, I have been able to get all three out that I have worked on.
Worst case is if the puller does not work or if it somehow breaks the bushing before it is pulled you can always fall back on cutting it flush.
However, I have been able to get all three out that I have worked on.
Stylin55_oh
CEG'er
I had these tools available and this definately worked. Took a couple good tugs but it came right out. thanks
hylix
CEG'er
I know this thread is old, but It seemed like a good place to post this, and I wanted to share my experience with removing this bushing.
My idea here was to create a miniature power steering pulley type of configuration. 3 tapped holes that I could situate a small plate (large washer with 3 matching holes) and use a gear puller to yank the thing out nice and smooth.
My Pilot bushing was steel, but was still very easy to drill small holes into with a cordless drill.
Also, all the pictures I took were after most of the work was done. I actually wasn't expecting this to work so well, So I didn't bother taking pictures until I proved it worked.
This took me 45 mins total including a trip to Lowes to get the right size screws and washer.
I used the following:
1. Cordless drill
2. A bench vise, or drillpress+vise recommended
3. Cheap tap/die set from Lowes (5x0.8 tap and matching drill bit)
4. (3) 5x0.8x25mm pan head screws --Lowes part 138455
5. 3/4" washer (~1/8" thick) --Lowes part 61702
6. Slightly larger drill bit (9/32 maybe?) than used for the tap
7. piece of paper, and a contractors pencil.
8. 10mm Deep well socket.
First thing I did was free-hand drill 3 small holes in the bushing and tap them out. About 1/2" deep. I didn't do any measuring, I just tried to keep my drill as straight as possible, and space the holes evenly.
Next, I used a piece of paper, and a pencil to get an "impression" of the holes. There is probably a much more accurate, scientific, less redneck way to do this, but my quick thinking lead me here since I had already drilled the pilot bushing.. :idea:
Then I colored the back side of that paper with the pencil. This is to create a type of carbon copy effect we will use to transfer this pattern to the washer for drilling.
Next, hold the paper and the washer together, with the colored back side against the washer, up against a bright light until the impression and the washer are fairly centered. In this picture you can barely see how they are NOT aligned well.
Keep them aligned, turn it over, and trace out the holes from the impression. Press hard to transfer the graphite from the back side of the paper to the washer. You will barely be able to see this on the washer, do not look at it in direct light, the markings will disappear, look at it from the side, make the markings more clear with marker if you need to.
Drill these holes out with the larger drill bit in a Drill press, or with the washer in a bench vise for stability. My washer got very hot while drilling. probably because I was using a drill press, but be careful here, you do not want to hold this by hand while drilling.
You can see here how the holes in the washer are larger than the tapped holes in the bushing.
Finally, put the screws and washer into the bushing, and using a small gear puller, pull that bad boy out. I used a 10mm deep well socket as a spacer for the gear puller bolt.
I didn't use and impact for this at all, only a 1/2" ratchet. The bushing came out very smoothly.
My idea here was to create a miniature power steering pulley type of configuration. 3 tapped holes that I could situate a small plate (large washer with 3 matching holes) and use a gear puller to yank the thing out nice and smooth.
My Pilot bushing was steel, but was still very easy to drill small holes into with a cordless drill.
Also, all the pictures I took were after most of the work was done. I actually wasn't expecting this to work so well, So I didn't bother taking pictures until I proved it worked.
This took me 45 mins total including a trip to Lowes to get the right size screws and washer.
I used the following:
1. Cordless drill
2. A bench vise, or drillpress+vise recommended
3. Cheap tap/die set from Lowes (5x0.8 tap and matching drill bit)
4. (3) 5x0.8x25mm pan head screws --Lowes part 138455
5. 3/4" washer (~1/8" thick) --Lowes part 61702
6. Slightly larger drill bit (9/32 maybe?) than used for the tap
7. piece of paper, and a contractors pencil.
8. 10mm Deep well socket.
First thing I did was free-hand drill 3 small holes in the bushing and tap them out. About 1/2" deep. I didn't do any measuring, I just tried to keep my drill as straight as possible, and space the holes evenly.
Next, I used a piece of paper, and a pencil to get an "impression" of the holes. There is probably a much more accurate, scientific, less redneck way to do this, but my quick thinking lead me here since I had already drilled the pilot bushing.. :idea:
Then I colored the back side of that paper with the pencil. This is to create a type of carbon copy effect we will use to transfer this pattern to the washer for drilling.
Next, hold the paper and the washer together, with the colored back side against the washer, up against a bright light until the impression and the washer are fairly centered. In this picture you can barely see how they are NOT aligned well.
Keep them aligned, turn it over, and trace out the holes from the impression. Press hard to transfer the graphite from the back side of the paper to the washer. You will barely be able to see this on the washer, do not look at it in direct light, the markings will disappear, look at it from the side, make the markings more clear with marker if you need to.
Drill these holes out with the larger drill bit in a Drill press, or with the washer in a bench vise for stability. My washer got very hot while drilling. probably because I was using a drill press, but be careful here, you do not want to hold this by hand while drilling.
You can see here how the holes in the washer are larger than the tapped holes in the bushing.
Finally, put the screws and washer into the bushing, and using a small gear puller, pull that bad boy out. I used a 10mm deep well socket as a spacer for the gear puller bolt.
I didn't use and impact for this at all, only a 1/2" ratchet. The bushing came out very smoothly.
hylix
CEG'er
Some other pictures:
BTW, Wholly crap, sorry for the gargantuan grainy iPhone pics...
BTW, Wholly crap, sorry for the gargantuan grainy iPhone pics...
CSVT#49
Addicted CEG'er
Hot damn... nice job. Definitely a lot of work though. Personally when I get around to this I'm going to try the grease method first as that is a lot more simple.
hylix
CEG'er
Thanks! It actually didn't seem like much work at all when I did it. everything drilled/tapped nicely. I know most people don't have a drill press or tap/die set, so this probably wouldn't be worth it.
I was going to try the grease method too, but finding a dowel that would seal up well enough seemed like too much of a chore, I just kept imagining grease squirting all over everything. More over, I didn't remove the crank for this build. I was worried about banging away with all the internals in place, which is probably fine, but I didn't feel comfortable with it, so I didn't.
I was going to try the grease method too, but finding a dowel that would seal up well enough seemed like too much of a chore, I just kept imagining grease squirting all over everything. More over, I didn't remove the crank for this build. I was worried about banging away with all the internals in place, which is probably fine, but I didn't feel comfortable with it, so I didn't.
Last edited:
ContourGuy9817
Hard-core CEG'er
Thats sweet. last one I did I cut two slots on the outsides and gave it a couple burps with my airhammer...came out like butter. I bet you could hammer on a prybar and get it.